Is The Subaru WRX & STI Becoming A "Dad" Car... 

You may be right. I'm a young single man turning 70 next month and for my birthday I bought and paid cash for a '24 WRX TR. In less than two months I've installed an AWE Cat-Back, Perrin shift-stop, and I've got a Verus pedal mod on-the-way besides other cool shit. The WRX is a FUN car and I don't understand why you have to put age limitations on a vehicle that scores high points for all generations. Yes, I can afford the '24 TR but Subaru offers trim models and prices across the board! Stop being a cry-baby because your grandad can afford, modify, and enjoy a car that you think is only for kids.

It’s a dad car because the generation that fell love for this tuner 6 speed is now the age of dads.

I’m a 50 year old dad and I just bought one. I just wanted something fun. I love it. I don’t understand how there’s something negative about older guys buying them.

39 y.o. Dad with two car seats in the back of my stock VB. It’s not a dad car. It’s a *fun* dad car. I could’ve bought a crossover or a minivan. But I wanted a fast, fun, manual transmission car with 4 doors and decent back seats that can handle some weather and is under 35k. The WRX fills those needs and is awesome. Nothing wrong with that.

I am a dad of 5. I bought a 2023 WRX...Yeah it's a dad car. AWD, zippy, has a good trunk, 6 speed manual...oh and more importantly i bought it new for $29k

Just logic, kids/teenagers from the earlys 2000s have this car in their hearts, so they are the ones buying them because they can now afford it now but without having the same needs as they would have had if they could have afforded one sooner. Todays teenagers and early 20s aren’t as much into car and driving etc. Along with it not being affordable for them as it was for us at their age ( well brand new.) when we were younger we didn’t have a used market to by wrx from since it was new and it was a bad idea to do so on low budget. My perception of the reason why 🤷‍♂️

welp.....crap - Im a dad and got my VB WRX as my mid life crisis car sooooooooooo.

I am confused how is the WRX expensive especially in the current market. A base WRX was priced at $30k before this year. Which other car manufacturer in the US produces a car that has 270 hp AWD and costs less than $30K? Also you can't buy a slightly used Supra or BMW with a stick around $44K.

As a dad that’s had several fun cars, last two BMW’s, I’m very happy with my 2020 WRX. I’ve got room to carry camping gear with bikes on the roof or pull the racks and have fun at a BMW Adult Driving Challenge. It’s fun to hang with guys that have much more money in their vehicles and have them shake their heads after I do as well or better than they do. You mentioned in another video that the WRX community is great and very supportive. Not sure what the problem is with dads being included in that.

I'm a dad and I am kicking myself for not being able to get a WRX STi S209 when they were on sale. I do how ever own a Honda Civic Type R as one of my family cars :)

😂 I’m a father of two with a 2019 STI making 450whp and 370tq on E85. Definitely checked all the boxes for me. In the process of buying a few more STIs. I personally love these cars and I know they get so much hate but who cares enjoy what you love. 🤷🏽‍♀️

I'll choose the limited vb wrx over a lightly used Supra any day of the week because of the practicality where I'm at in life. No I'm not getting a second vehicle just trying to accomplish seating up to 5 people with all their snowboard gear. There is no competition unfortunately for the wrx at what it accomplishes today. A new AWD, manual, turbocharged, and 4 doors/practical space that is in the price range. The only thing that makes me sad is Mexico getting the hatch version.

I must be the exception I am woman who has currently a 2012 Subaru WRX Impreza STI Limited with original 76000 original miles I don’t think of mine has a dads car , I am widowed and have no family at all , my STI is my baby and when I get into it every time it reminds of its iconic rally history definitely not a dads car in my eyes

2004 sti have childten. live in canada and it is a monster in the snow. being able to "lock" the diff when being an awesome dad who doesnt get stuck in a snowbank in my dad car. also my mom drives a 2004 blobeye impreza total granny car!

70 YO Grandude here. 2023 Limited that’s my third WRX. I still like the manual performance car, without needing 500 HP… This is a perfect mix of speed, handling and reliability. I learned years ago that 300 HP is more than enough for 98% of driving. How often do you really need a 4 second 0-60?

I mean probably dude, it’s been my dream car though since I was a teenager. Just didn’t finally get one til I was a dad already my bad.

TBH the WRX was my dream car since the Need for Speed Underground 2 days. But I've continued to own one (Hawkeye and then VA) for over 10years because the car basically grows with me as my family and responsibilities grow. But I do think it's a little unfair to compare brand new top trim WRX prices to used base Supra prices. A brand new top trim Supra is nowhere near $40K.

Good video bro

I'm 40 now but i bought a 2015 brand new and it's been my daily ever since. 100 percent stock and been a pretty good car. I seriously think they keep these cars slow on purpose. They still sell really so just let everyone tune the cars because they are slow and poof goes all the warranties

You're spot on. Spoken as a dad with 2022 WRX Wagon, for practically and the occassional fun.... In the SPT/CVT 😔

The STI was a dad car ever since Bunta bought one

I can tell you where Subaru is at. Im seriously considering a k5 gt line awd instead of a new vb lol I've great think about the wrx is value retention.

I've owned 7, have a blue hatch currently. I was a dad for everyone of them, lol. But seriously, Subaru sold a fast, cool, affordable sports car back in 2002 when there wasn't much competition and created life long customers. At this point, Subaru is unfortunately just milking that audience.

I got a 2023 VB. Why ? Cuz at 39 y/o was the only time I could afford one. Was taking care of the family first. Now ima turn 41, it’s reliable, fast and you can basically buy everything out there in the market since there is a lot of stuff to modify it. Safe for the family and fast enough to make me go back to my 20’s 😂😂😂 😢😅😂

never had a Subaru but it seems they have gone away from their rally heritage and no longer offer a spicy model. but i could be wrong, just my perspective.

Gen Z has the lowest average net worth of any previous generation, they are also less developed cognitively due to a multitude of factors. WRX is a more expensive and a more intelligent purchase; the poor kids can drive their cheap front wheel drive Hyundais, and boomers can drive their Mustang GTs.

Hager Video on the 2023 Nissan Z at 14:35. You are welcome.

Vaper dads with backwards hats maybe.... Rally hasn't even been a thing for years. The soob crowd ruined the brand for the rest of us that might otherwise want one. I've had 2 Subes, but they've got nothing for me anymore. Maybe an old Crosstrek that I make into an offroader or something. The GR Corolla seems to be the STI that Subaru no longer makes.

They become more expensive if you save in dollars (or other fiat currencies)... and yes, I used to have a WRX 2017 and could drive around with the family.

Subaru are keeping up with the modern day not in a fantasy dream. The financial structure of peoples lives have changed with inflation etc, so most people have only 1 vehicle each now. They are trying to give the owner the best of both world without swaying too far either side, but in the middle. Comfort / practicality / performance when you need it without breaking the bank.

I would not say losing the battle. They are actually winning. At least us dads will not be stuck on mini van or boring sedans anymore. So Subaru is actually winning on this. Car for all ages.

I think with the VA gen Subaru tried to go a little more mainstream and get the attention of more than just the car enthusiast as evident by the CVT equipped VA and in general the looks of the VA. With the VB I think they definitely went more of an adult approach its not super edgy, it has the plastic cladding ( which I love btw ) and isnt full on racer boy and I think thats why it got a lot of the hate when it first launched especially from VA owners. VA owners for lack of better terms are stereotypical dick heads who are very much the racer boy type and they hated that Subaru went the direction they did with the VB. They really only came around once HP/TQ numbers post mods started coming out. I dont think dad car is the appropriate term here I think a very mature WRX is what I would say.

Agree, spending 40k for a wrx is comical.

40 yr old 3 kids 2017 sti 😂

With the exception of the BRZ, everything subaru sells is boring and watered down. Can you really even call the WRX a sports sedan these days? 271HP... Really?? Thats pretty much a standard amount of power for anything that isnt a POS shitbox rental car. Just because it can be had with a manual (a really old, weak version with a few updates) does not make it "sport". A CVT in the highest trim sure as hell ruins that notion as well. Subaru lost their edge a long time ago. They took the boring route to please the masses rather than the fun route their real fans wanted. You cant even call them legit, rugged offroad vehicles with that garbage transmission.

271 HP is a joke. It has trouble keeping up with suv's nowadays. Embarrasing.